Release Day for “Cat Daddy” by Jackson Galaxy

I was honored to be given a copy of this book by the publisher simply because I shared links to My Cat From Hell, trying to help promote it. I actually don’t have a television and did not watch the program, nor have I watched it on iTunes, so I am coming to this story knowing a lot less about Jackson and what he does than most. But while I might be entertained by watching the program, I know I will never forget his story.

Animals come along to teach us that though we may think we are, we are not the boss, we are not perfect, we are not always right and we are not immortal…and that’s not only okay, that’s the way it’s supposed to be, silly human. Now that you know that, you can find out who you really are and live life on your real path and not the one you made up, and we can all live, together.

Cat Daddy: What the World’s Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love and Coming Clean by Jackson Galaxy of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell is his own story of that odyssey, and how it made him the cat behaviorist he is. From the disorganized compartmentalized life of a variously-addicted person, through his life as a creative person and long list of jobs, Jackson ends up at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley and meets Benny, the cat who will change him and his life, and thereby the lives of many other cats as well.

Mimi says, "Cat Daddy?"

He openly and humorously discusses the depths of his lifestyle under the influence of various combinations of medications, beverages, hallucinogenics, ups, downs and even food. It’s not easy to bare your soul and deepest thoughts, but sometimes it’s even harder to bare the truth of what you did when you were totally wasted and thought you were cool, but admitting it is what makes an addict who they are on the other side of addiction, and Jackson is no different.

Everyone, including Jackson himself, comments on his appearance—tattoos, shaved head, earrings, styled beard—and how the last thing they’d think would be that he was a “cat daddy”. However, in his photos I find Jackson’s looks familiar, like other musicians and artists I know and have known (especially if you count the original rainbow dreadlocks), and who are, oddly enough, often also cat daddies though sometimes a dog was their rescuer. They share a similar story of an animal who came into their life, “led them safely away from dark corners” to paraphrase Jackson and taught them, first, that they were loved and worthy of love, though this usually in some bizarre and unconventional manner that somehow got through the armor of this wounded person, and then taught them how to live as themselves. And often they look pretty unconventional because, well, not all cats have the same stripes, and nor do people.

Mr. Sunshine considers hiding the book from his mom--both of them.

I chickened out when I learned in the 1980s that a job in the shelter required not only being present for euthanasias, but actually performing them, and ran the other way. Jackson did not, though it took losing the rainbow dreadlocks to get him in. Accepting the burden of daily euthanasia was, for him, a turning point, not only for the natural empathy it engendered in him but for the way helping individual animals avoid euthanasia scheduled for behavioral reasons began the fine-tuning of his already keen communication with animals. He followed where it led, and shortly it led to Benny, who taught Jackson through Benny’s own bizarre and unconventional manners how to listen and understand, that healing is not a one-sided relationship, that if you don’t at least spend some time “in the moment” you totally miss out on life, and you especially miss out on love.

It also led out of the shelter and into business with Dr. Jean Hofve and Little Big Cat, and Spirit Essences, and a lot of feline lives saved through a combination of natural, homeopathic and often unconventional holistic means.

Mewsette compares Jackson to 320 Cat.

The book includes many tips on understanding feline behavior pulled out in separate boxes from the spare and clean design of the book, but the biggest tip in the book is in the whole story itself, an overall understanding of how Jackson came to be the cat behaviorist he is: listen, understand, feel their energy and your own, and understand that your relationship is reciprocal on that energetic level. Hard to grasp, and even harder to remember in the moment once you grasp it, but cats are so energetically sensitive that you need to be aware of your self in order to understand their behavior and even physical conditions.

I will thank the cat who came into the life of a withdrawn eight-year-old who did not make eye contact and barely spoke intelligibly, gave her something to love and to share and a muse for life, setting her on the path guided by cats. And later, the cat who rescued the misguided college student living above a bar and still determined to run down the dark path, ensuring that she survived to find herself and to thank him by rescuing other cats in his name. And each cat who has come to since me has had a paw in my daily emotional and physical wellness, just as much as I have in theirs.

Giuseppe wonders if he might find some tips for courting Mlle.; this is not that kind of a book, Giuseppe.

So when that rescued cat gives us his first look of love, or our lifelong feline companion her final loving farewell gaze, and we are able to see and understand it, we know that we have passed beyond simply living with an animal to sharing an eternal bond of love with an individual.

____

I know I come late to the table with this review; it’s my sadness that I can’t spend hours reading as I used to as my eyes are already strained by my regular work on my computer plus the art and illustration I do most of the day. It’s taken me some time to read through this, and if I’d known an audio book would be forthcoming I might have held out for that! I listen to audio books all the time and I’d love to hear Jackson read his book, but just remember for those who are more oriented to iPods and listening than sitting and reading the audio book will be available soon!

All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in purchasing one as a print, or to use in a print or internet publication.

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Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, The Creative Cat offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats.
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14 thoughts on “Release Day for “Cat Daddy” by Jackson Galaxy”

This is just a wonderful review. I would have also run if I knew I’d have to be present for euthanasia. I just love how we all found a little bit of ourselves in this book. LOVE the kitty photos…especially the paw! I came late to the table too…we can sit at the kiddie table together. 🙂

Angie, I really wanted a career working for the good of animals, and I couldn’t even pass the first test! And my cats, what’s mine is theirs—no, it’s theirs until they are done with it and then it’s mine, but we can all sit at the “kitty table” together!

Bernadette, what a wonderful review! It’s been so fun reading the different perspectives from each different reviewer. It has given me a greater appreciation for how an author can touch each reader so individually.

I have enjoyed all the reviews, but I think this has to be my favorite for the simple fact that you don’t have a television and don’t really know the “persona” of Jackson like some of us do. Your insight and intuition was as real as Jackson wrote it, and I particularly liked the connection to your own life.

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